updated 11:35 am EDT, Tue March 20, 2012

LG may still be outside of loop

Sharp actually received verification to start producing third-gen iPad displays in February, claims research firm WitsView. The company is said to have produced 2.71 million panels, but this was allegedly well below Apple's expectations. Recent Wall Street Journal accounts have suggested that Sharp didn't get any displays into the first wave of iPads.

WitsView also claims that LG Display has yet to get verification from Apple, owing to quality issues. If so that likely leaves Samsung as Apple's dominant panel supplier for the iPad. Another research group, IHS iSuppli, recently made the assertion that Samsung has been the only supplier for third-gen iPad screens so far. A Reuters source, though, recently insisted that LG does have a supply deal with Apple.